Law Day to feature contests for students

Posted: Sunday, February 29, 2004

MARLENE FEDURISmarlene.feduris@amarillo.com

Area legal entities will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision, "Brown v. Board of Education," with a series of contests for school students tied to its National Celebration of Law Day on May 1.

Issued on May 17, 1954, the decision was a first step toward school desegregation.

On that day, the Supreme Court unanimously declared that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal and, as such, violate the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment guarantees all citizens "equal protection of the laws."

Brown v. Board of Education did away with the doctrine of separate but equal, said Susan Burnette, president of the Amarillo Area Bar Association.

"So, I think it was the most important case in terms of school desegregation."

Burnette said she thinks the decision has had far-reaching impacts in 20th-century society and that the impact will continue into the 21st century.

"I think it's also important because it's a demonstration of how the court system works and how it should work to deal with inequities in society," she said.

"This is a milestone," said Alphonso Vaughn, Amarillo branch NAACP president and deputy coordinator for the northwest region of Texas. "We're further now than we were."

Many individuals have achieved great things but the numbers are still disappointing, he said.

But an educated populace is an well-informed populace, he said. He agreed it is good to highlight the past and to admit that a segment of the population was not given equal rights.

Reminding people of all ages of the value of laws and how they affect history is the purpose of Law Day, Burnette said. The groups will sponsor a photo contest, an essay contest and a poster contest as part of events.

Local sponsors for the contests and for Law Day are: the Amarillo Area Bar Association, the Amarillo Area Young Lawyers Association, the Hutchinson County Bar Association, the N.E. Panhandle Bar Association and the Pampa Bar Association.

Winning entries will be submitted to the State Bar of Texas for judging among other local winners from all around the state.

The photo contest is for students ages 12 to 18, with an editorial essay contest for students in grades nine through 12; a photo contest for all age groups. The poster contest is divided into four age categories for students from kindergarten through grade 12.

Raising the Bar

Law Day celebrations will feature contests for school students. Call 371-7226 for information.

Local winners will be awarded prizes by the Panhandle Bar associations. State prizes range from $1,000 cash to combinations of U.S. Savings Bonds and gift certificates. Prizes vary depending on the contest.

For a copy of the contest rules, call the Amarillo Area Bar Association, 371-7226. Entries are due by noon March 29, at the Amarillo Area Bar Association office.

"We really just hope to make the information available to schools so that teachers can talk more about the courts and court system in reference to Law Day," Burnette said.

Organizers hope to make information available to school groups interested in further understanding how courts work and how laws are made.

Over the past 100 years, American law has tried to address the injustices imposed on many Americans for varying reasons or causes, said JoAnn Holt at the Amarillo bar office.

In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day USA to strengthen America's heritage of liberty, justice and equality under the law, she said.